Our new homebrewing section of wine, beer, and cider can be a bit overwhelming to a newbie! I am not familiar with brewing these, so I was hesitant at first to try them. I chose the pear cider pouch, and with a few basic homebrewing pieces of equipment I successfully made cider. It’s not a super long process either, about 3 to 4 weeks. I am currently waiting another week for it to become “smoother” although you can bet I tasted it when the directions said I could! You can find the equipment in individual pieces at your local brewing shop, or purchase a kit from us like the Deluxe or Standard Brewcraft USA Homebrewer’s Starter Kit. WARNING! Be sure to read through all the directions before getting started, as once you cut open the cider pouch you must begin the fermenting process.
I sanitized everything that would touch the cider per recommendations to avoid a ruined batch (and who wants to throw out 6 gallons of cider?). The kits container the sanitizer so that was easy peasy. It was also helpful to sanitize a pair of tongs so I could retrieve the items from the bucket of sanitizer without too much trouble.
On the outside of the pouch it says you’ll need dextrose, but I learned from the included instructions that plain old white sugar is fine. Whew, no need for a trip to the brewing store! (We have updated our website product page to reflect that as well.)
When you carefully cut open the pouch (with sanitized scissors) you’ll see a dry compartment and a wet compartment:
I read the directions, set aside what was not needed, and squeezed out all the juice into my sterilized fermenting bucket. I added boiling water to the fermenter, and then 2.2# of evaporated cane juice crystals (sugar). After stirring until completely dissolved, I topped off with 6 gallons of cold water. I checked to make sure the temperature of the liquid was between 64-82ºF. I decided to add the full packet of cider sweetener, aiming for a sweet, not dry cider. Then the yeast packet was next!
Although not mentioned in the instructions to take an initial hydrometer reading, the staff at CFH thought it best we get a baseline. Your Specific Gravity (SG) should be approximately between 1.050 and 1.070. A piece of advice, learn how to use a hydrometer before you jump in! Read about it and watch all the videos you can get your eyes on. I learned the hard way that a brand new hydrometer may need calibration, and you don’t want to waste time finding out your hydrometer is wonky when you’re ready to go. After my reading, I assembled the airlock, filled it with water, and attached the lid to the bucket. 6 days of wait time at 68º-77ºF was next. Know that the cooler it is, the slower the ferment; the warmer, the faster it will go.
By the 6th day my airlock’s activity pretty much stopped. My Specific Gravity had dropped the two points pear ciders need 1.007 SG. No need to keep fermenting past the next day or so… the manufacturer advises for safety reasons to NEVER bottle until fermentation is complete – the SG should stay the same for 2 days.
On Day 8 I stirred the Cider Essence in, put the lid back on, and let ferment 24 hours.
At the end of Day 9, it was time to again sterilize, sterilize, sterilize – my flip top bottles, bottle filler, auto siphon, and siphon assembly. I opted for flip top bottles, like the 750 mL bottles or 500 mL flip top bottles instead of wine bottles that would need corks. I inspected them for cracks and chips, as any defective bottles would not be used. It was also my first time using an auto siphon, siphon assembly with tubing and bottle filler… I figured it out relatively quickly, thanks to videos on the Internet! I left 2 inches headspace, measuring from the very top of the bottle. I can’t believe I managed to leave the thick yeast from the bottom of the fermenter in the fermenter!
Before sealing the bottles, I added carbonation drops according to the directions on the package.
I stored the sealed bottles at an improvised warm room temp, about 68-70ºF, for 5 days.
When done, I opted to keep my cider in a bin to mimic a cool dark place, in order to clear for another week. The bin was my safety net in case anything leaked or exploded (one can never be too cautious).
Then, I tasted it. I think it was pretty strong, but I don’t have enough expertise on what it should taste like. I knew it had worked, but sadly there was no sweetness at all! A friend tried it and said it was almost wine-like to her. Since the manufacturer recommends allowing the cider to sit another 2 weeks for a smoother tasting and feeling cider, as of this blog post, I actually have another week to go before I enjoy my final product. I read it is best served chilled, so I am looking forward to enjoying a nice, cold, clear cider!
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